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Stricken

I'm your usual, silent kind of guy. I sit out in the stormy weather talking to myself, I eat my lunch on the roof and play the cello solo in the music room during break time. It's just me, a completely normal guy, a son of a billionaire CEO, sitting alone on my own table, enjoying my solitude. My entire life was spent hating the world and everyone in it. Until I was struck, not by a tennis ball, and not by a baseball bat. But by thunder.

Tempest_Hunter · Action
Not enough ratings
3 Chs

Normal

My name is Alan Hunter,

I am a fifteen year old with problems.

I was diagnosed with PTSD and Asthma at a young age, ever since I had witnessed my mother's death. The worst thing about it, was that I knew who the murderer was.

My father.

They were arguing, I was only four, an innocent toddler who was watching the scene unravel in horror. Father was yelling at mother, she was protesting, constantly motioning towards me. Father didn't care, his eyes, blinded my rage and fury, grabbed a knife from the kitchen table, and drove it through her stomach.

I remember mother's agonised screams, as she collapsed to the ground, blood pooling around her. I also remembered what they were arguing about.

Me.

"Alan's just a child! You can't send him off to a boarding school! Not yet! He still needs us!" Mother had cried out, tears sparkling in her dark, brown eyes.

Father lashed out, "He's my son! I will choose his future and his path!" his hands grasping the hilt of the knife.

"He's my son too! You coward!" Mother yelled, before dropping dead, with a blade driven through her.

I shrieked as I ran towards my mother, crying out her name. "Mum! Mummy! MUMMY NO!" Tears spilled down my cheeks, her blood staining my hands, my father's careless expression.

How could he?!

I snapped awake, migraine throbbing my head. I touched my cheek, I tasted something salty on my lips.

Tears.

I could still feel sweat running down my forehead, I blinked away my tears and took a trembling breath. My head burned as I took a shaky step after another, slowly making my way to the bathroom.

I immediately washed my face, rinsing it in icy cold water. Combing my hair and picked up my inhaler. The salbutamol and terbutaline inside it sprayed into my throat. It tasted horrible, tasteless and plain like my other medications.

Quickly changing into my uniform, (a tight collared white shirt, with a black jacket, and a red tie), I immediately left the room, bag slung over my shoulder. The other students were already out there, chatting amongst each other.

It was sunny, light bouncing off all the stone pillars, sculptures, statues and railing. My eyes centred on the fountain in the centre of the field, the water sparkled, pouring out of the fountain.

The school prefect brushed past me as I dashed towards my seat since class was starting soon. I tripped on my shoelace and stumbled over.

"Oh! Sorry!" the prefect said in a worried tone, "Are you alright?" he rushed over to me. I nodded silently and ducked into my chair, just as the teacher walked in, the prefect with her.

"Everyone, this is Aether White, he's a new student," she motioned towards the prefect. I frowned, if he's new, how can he be a prefect?

The teacher sat down at her desk by the window, "Aether, why don't you introduce yourself?" she asked, fixing her round glasses carefully.

"My name is is Aether White, my twin brother goes here, you might know him as Noah White," Aether smiled, "Noah looks just like me, so please don't be embarrassed if you mistook me for him, since he's the school prefect."

I realised my mistake and my cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"Aether please take a seat beside Enola, Enola please raise your hand!" she called out. Enola, my neighbour, raised her hand lazily, before returning to her sleep.

Aether sat beside her, opening his anatomy textbook hastily. The sun shone against his light blonde hair, it was curly and looked as if he had a bad haircut. His eyes were misty blue, just like Noah's.

By the time the recess bell rang, I was already worn out. I hastily dashed into the music room after I had finished my food, my cello was laying there, on it's stand.

I sat down slowly, and touched the polished wood slowly, before beginning my song. A sweet, melodious tune, deep and slow, floated around the room slowly as I held the bow. My hand's actions relied completely from muscle memory.

I inhaled the dusty air, white light beamed from a small window in the corner of the room.

Afterwards, the first thing I did was check my watch:

11:25

Five minutes till the end of recess, my heart hammered, no one can see me when I leave it, or they'll think I'm a nerd. If they do, I would become the target of bullies. I hastily placed my cello gently into its case, alongside its bow. When I opened the door at the entrance of the music room, I checked left and right, no one was there, much to my luck.

The moment I turned around the corner, when I was making my way to my dorm room, I saw a familiar tuft of blonde hair, and blue irises.

"Aether...what a surprise," I said wryly. Aether frowned at my sarcasm and strode right past me, completely ignoring the fact that I existed.

Not like it was new to me anyways.

At night, 10:00p.m, I was just ready to dedicate one hour to my meditation time, as I did every day out at the balcony, when someone started rapping on my door. I hastily pulled the curtains closed and opened it, scowling.

To my surprise, it was Aether and Principal Lorès.

I raised an eyebrow, "Yes?"

"Alan, meet Aether, I believe you know his brother? Noah White? The school prefect?"

I nodded slowly, "Get to the point."

"Well, Alan, please meet your new roomie!"